Speed-indicating instrument.



R. ABELL.

SPEED INDICATING INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1911.

1,045, 1 1 1., Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

BOLLIN ABELL, OFBOSTON, GHUSE'ETB.

SPEED-INDICATING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedNov. 26, 1912.

Application filed June 12, 1911. Serial No. 832,559.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROLLIN ABELL, a-

citiien of the United States, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in speed lndicating Instruments, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to speed indicating instruments of the class shown and described in U. S. Patent No. 927,828 dated July 13, 1909, in which a weightedgovernor respond ing to centrifugal action effects longitudinal movement of a toothed sleeve to move a pointer or index.

The present invention has for its object to provide an instrument of the class described, in which the weighted governor is balanced in all positions and under all conditions, and is not susceptible to vibrations from outside the instrument, 'whereb the accuracy, durability and efliciency o instruments of this class is increased. For this purpose, the instrument is provided with sliding weights, which are mounted, or arranged to move preferably in inclinefdpaths, the inclination of which is such that the distance the weights are raised is in the sameratio to the downward movement of the toothed sleeve, as the weight of saidsleeve is to the weight of said weights. These and other features of this invention will be pointed. out in the claims at the end oflthis specification.

Figure 1 is a planview of a speed indicating instrument embodying this .invention.

- Fig. 2, a cross section of the instrument directly. below the dial thereof, taken on the line 2--2,Fig. 3. Fig. 3,.a vertical central section of the casin on the line 33, Fig. 1,

and an elevation o the operative parts in a position of rest. Fig. 4, a view like Fig. 3, withthe operatipg parts in the position they occupy when the instrument is in use. Fig. 5, a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3, and Fig. 6, a modification to be referred to.

. The instrument in the main is the same as, that shown and described-, in the patent referred to, and comprises a casing a contain ing a dial 6 having graduations indicative of speed, and with which cooperates a pointer or index 0 mounted on a shaft d provided with a bevel gear e, which meshes with and is rotated by a bevel gear f on a shaft 9 having a spur gear h, which meshes with and is rotated by annular ribs or teeth 2' on a sleeve j movable longitudinally on a rotatable shaft 70 constituting the rotatable element of the instrument. The shaft 70 is rotated by the flexible shaft 10, which in practice is connected with the rotating part whose speed is to be indicated, such for in stance as the front wheel of an automobile. The sleeve j is moved longitudinally on the shaft is, by, gears or toothed disks 12, 13, mounted on shafts 14, 15, journaled in T-shaped brackets 16, 17 which are secured to the shaft k as by screws m to rotate therewith, and practically form part thereof, said shafts bein located on opposite sides ofthe shaft 70 an each provided with a crank or arm 18, which is connected by a spring 19 with the other shaft, each crank or arm being adj ustably secured to its shaft by a screw n. In accordance with the present invention, the toothed disks or cams 12, 13, are rotated by weights 20, 21, which are mounted to slide on guides, preferably on rods 22, 23, extended from a collar 24 on the shaft is, said rods being extended from said shaft and preferably upwardly at an angle therefrom.

The weights 20, 21, are operatively connected with the gears 12, 13, and as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each gear or toothed disk has extended through it near its circumference a pin 30, which as herein shown extends beyond the opposite sides of said gear or disk and on one side of said gear or disk extends between two pins 31, 32, erected on the weight cooperating with the said gear or disk, and on the other side engages one pin 33. The pins 32 engage the pins 30 'on the disks or gears and rotate the latter as the weights are slid upwardly on the ui'de rods in response to the action of centri ugal, force on the weights, and the pins 30 on the disks or gears act on the pins 32 to move the weights in the opposite direction in response to the action of the springs 19.

In operation, when the shaft is is rotated, the weights are moved longitudinally on their guide rods 22, 23, away from the shaft 70 as represented in Fig. 4, in response to centrifugal action on the said weights, and this sliding movement of the weights effects rotary movement of the gears or toothed disks 12, 13, which in turn effects longitudi= nal movement of the sleeve 7' in one direction,

and through the gear h, shaft .9, genre 7, e,

and shaft d, efiects movement of the pointer 

